Skirl: (skûrl) n. A shrill wailing sound

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Best albums of 2010

It’s an annual event that I pick my ten favourite albums of the year and, a few months later, revise the bejeezus out of it because I was late to the party on some brilliant new band or another. So, welcome to another round.

Titus Andronicus . The Monitor

The National . High Violet

Arcade Fire . The Suburbs

A Silver Mt. Zion . Kollaps Tradixionales

The Besnard Lakes . Are The Roaring Night

The New Pornographers . Together

Junip . Fields

Frightened Rabbit . The Winter Of Mixed Drinks

Corin Tucker . 1000 Years

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club . Beat The Devil’s Tattoo

Note that there is a big, big gap between the top three and everything else. In fact, little if anything separates #4 from #10. Basically it broke down like this: a brilliant Titus Andronicus album, excellent albums by The National and Arcade Fire, and then seven more pretty good releases. And then there was the ‘not bad’ pile made up of Crazy For You by Best Coast, Sea Of Cowards by Dead Weather, Sleep Mountain by The Kissaway Trail,Transference by Spoon, Personal Life by The Thermals and Going Places by Yellow Swans.

Crushes by Mates Of State definitely would have made the list, but it’s an entire album of covers so I don’t think it qualifies.